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The expert rafting guides at Adventure Calls Outfitters, Inc. lead trips down three waterways: the Genesee River, Cattaraugus Creek, and the Salmon River. As they glide through calm waters and swirl through rapids, rafters drink in the rugged scenery, occasionally glimpsing fish and harmless snakes. Under the watchful care of an ACA-certified rafting guide, visitors safely ride the wild current of the river, learning about the unsullied countryside of western New York. The scenic trips are available most of the year, although in the cooler months, wetsuits are recommended.

Kayaks glide through the water of Chautauqua Lake, setting a serene pace with nature. Trees sway in the breeze along the banks as small fish peep out of the water in search of food and better shellphone reception. Evergreen Outfitters makes outings like these possible by renting kayaks, canoes, and standup paddleboards and teaching guests how to safely use them. Each rental comes with lifejackets and cartop tie downs so
boats can find their way to favorite watery locations. Paddlers looking for new surroundings can enlist Evergreen Outfitters's expert guides, who lead paddle tours on Lake Erie, full-moon trips on Chautauqua Lake, and explorations through the lagoons of Presque Isle State Park.

A watery gateway into Frederick Law Olmsted's pristinely designed park, Genesee Waterways Center encourages adventurers to experience kayaking, rowing, sculling, and canoeing. The outfit for outdoor activities is a non-profit organization that strives to educate the public about the Genesee region's vast system of waterways and reported bingo conspiracies. Rental vessels can glide into the calm waters of a spillway ideal for beginners, while more advanced captains can venture into the Erie Canal. In addition to rentals, the Waterways Center also hosts a number of community events and classes throughout the year, such as regattas, family-oriented programs, a kayak challenge course,and instructor certification programs.

Preparing explorers for jaunts through the waterways and paths of the historic Erie Canal, the staffers of Erie Canal Boat Company outfit visitors with bicycle, kayak, canoe, pontoon, and paddleboat rentals, as well as appropriate supplies. They lead group and private lessons, teaching tender-footed kayakers the basics of safety and stroke skills for recreational, competitive, or impress-your-favorite-seal's-mom kayaking. They also host weekly paddling clubs and races, as well as annual regattas, and stock a variety of gear at their shop to ensure pioneers are suitably appointed for paddling and pedaling excursions.

The Kajama's white masts billow in the wind as its sharp prow cleaves the waters of Lake Ontario. The three-masted, gaff-rigged 164-foot schooner casts the same striking silhouette as it did 85 years ago during its first incarnation as a trade ship that sailed from Spain to Norway. Today, Great Lakes Schooner Company has restored the German-built schooner to its maiden-voyage splendour. Though they've preserved the boat's 1930s charm, they also retrofitted the Kajama for its daily tours with such amenities as a licensed bar and galley where cooks bring selections from their menu of pub fare to life.
Though it serves as the crown jewel of the fleet, the Kajama is flanked by two other ships. Panoramic lake views and a retractable top-deck roof characterize the Obsession III, whereas the Challenge boasts two LCD TVs and a full-service bar. Great Lakes Schooner Company rents out their fleet for corporate cruises, charter tours, weddings, and pirate-school reunions, all of which launch from the scenic downtown harbourfront.

Aboard a fleet of vessels that have cruised the Toronto Harbour for more than a quarter of a century, Toronto Harbour Tours converts landlocked guests into sightseeing day-sailors during scenic one-hour voyages. A licensed captain and crew colours each trip with informative narratives, casting entertaining facts into open ears while pointing out a continuous deluge of passing landmarks along the route. As tours drift by thriving parklands and across tranquil lagoons, Toronto's skyline glides into view to present passengers with unique opportunities to photograph the Skydome and the CN Tower's rippling Superman cape. During the summer, guests can disembark and explore Toronto Islands, catching a ride back to the mainland from another tour later in the day.